West Augustine

Kiss the Pig Contest benefits a worthwhile project

Sister Althea Jackson829-3962

Published Tuesday, April 17, 2001

The winner of the Kiss the Pig Contest was Charles Doolittle. The crowning smooch was bestowed on Wilbur the Porker, at the Special Events Field on April 7, where Rhythm 'n' Ribs provided the refreshments and entertainment. The runner-up was Joe Gordy.

The event, sponsored by Learn to Read of St. Johns County, Inc., raised $5,700. This annual event supports some of the wonderful services that are provided to our community by Learn to Read, under the capable guidance of Jane Murray. Even the good Lord cooperated, and the weather was ideal.

My friend Ralph gave me one of the new gold dollars, on which is a picture of the Shoshoni Indian maiden, Sacagawea, with her baby in a sling on her back. Sacagawea served as pathfinder for Lewis and Clark in 1804-06, as they made their way westward across our land.

Let me extend my deep gratitude to the angel from the Hamblen Center who came over April 10 and washed the pollen off my car, washed my mobile home windows, mowed my lawn and fed my hungry fire ants. May the Lord richly bless you. These jobs are usually performed by myself, but this year I took a ''vacation'' from labor!

I am intrigued to learn that my home state of Massachusetts has sworn in its first woman governor. She moved up from the office of lieutenant governor when Gov. Paul Cellucci resigned to become the United States ambassador to Canada.

Jane Swift is apparently the first pregnant governor in the history of the country. She is 36 years old, has a 2 1/2-year-old daughter, and is expecting twins in June. She's a native of western Massachusetts, and plans to keep her family home in Williamstown, in the northwest corner of the state, -- a three-hour drive from the state house in Boston, via interstate.

Her husband, Charles Hunt, a contractor, is now a stay-at-home dad, and will be the primary caregiver for the children. They are Republicans. Men are seldom questioned as to how they juggle family and career. Perhaps it is time that women are assumed able to manage just as well.

When I returned home from my stay at the ''Flagler Hilton,'' my daughter and I devised a series of Super-Olympic Games.

Contests ranged from picking up chads from the carpet to sorting out the various individual-sized servings of jelly, peanut butter, etc., that I had on my tray while at Flagler.

April 23 will soon be here. My dad was born April 23, 1888. He shared a birthday with William Shakespeare, Shirley Temple Black, our only bachelor president, James Buchanan; Jan, whom I used to see daily when I went to the bank during the time I owned the Agape Bible and Book Store; and I am sad to say, Timothy McVeigh, who will die on May 16, in Terre Haute, Ind.

I make a special effort to remember birthdays. We may wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy new Year, a Blessed Easter and a bountiful Thanksgiving. In order to wish someone a happy birthday, one must know something about him or her.

Each day I pray for those I know who are having birthdays, most recently, for example, Father Pat Cooke, CSSP, to whom I sang ''Happy Birthday'' over the phone on March 25, when I was in Room 8014 at the Flagler, over Room 7013 where he'd spent many months. Fr. Pat is now in New York City at Sloan Kettering Institute, the world's best oncology center, where they are hoping to save his arm.

I expect to be riding around West Augustine soon on my trusty steed, Rozinante (who is, let me remind you, a purely imaginary horse). If you spot us, honk and wave!